Cushioned crutch



R. H'. MANZECK CUSHIONED CRUTCH Filed Aug. 26, 1958 L WENTOR Robe/df H. Manz eck ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATESn PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

My invention relates to a crutch with novel cushion means for the shoulder and hand and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a crutch with a novel cushion attachment to be used in connection with the shoulder of the crutch;

Second, to provide a means of this class which may be readily applied to the shoulder of the crutch;

Third, to provide a means of this class which may be readily .detached from the shoulder of the crutch when desired;

Fourth, to provide a means of this class Which provides a very comfortable support for the shoulder in connection with the shoulder piece of the crutch;

Fifth, to provide a'novel cushion means for the hand support of the crutch;

Sixth, to provide a novel hand support for the crutch;

Seventh, to provide a support for the hand in connection with a'crutch that Amay be readily connected to or removed from the crutch;

Eighth, toI provide a novel combination of shoulder cushion and hand cushion for crutches; and

Ninth, to provide a means of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, easy to operate, very comfortable, easy to apply, efficient in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevational View of the upper or shoulder portion of the crutch showing the cushion means in operative position in connection therewith, showing certain portions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken from the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of the crutch including the hand support and the connecting crutch stan-dards, showing portions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration; and Fig, 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken from the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing:

The crutch shoulder member I, central cushion 2, outer cushion member 3, outer cushion member cover 4, cushion fastener 5, crutch standards 6, hand support 1,'hand support tie rod 8, screw bolts 9, central hand cushion member I0, central hand cushion member cover Il, and hand cushion fasteners I2 constitute the principal parts and portions of my cushioned crutch The crutch shoulder I is of any conventional type secured to the upper end of the standards 6 which are also of conventional type except that the shoulder member I is provided with a groove la in its upper side as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The grooveV Ia is preferably curved as shown. Mounted in this curved groove la is the shoulder cushion which consists of a central cushion member 2 which is preferably made of sponge rubber in circular cylindrical form and prefer'- ably provided with tapered ends as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Positioned centrally and longitudinally in this member 2 is the cushion fastener 5 which is a metallic spring member curved to conform to the longitudinal curved shape of the shoulder member I and provided at its en-d with downwardly and backwardly turned portions 5a and 5b. These ends 5a and 5b, it will be here noted, terminate some distance from the ends of the cushion member 2 and are positioned downwardly on such an incline that when they are forced into holes Ib which are also at an incline tend to hold the cushion member securely on the shoulder member I. Surrounding this cylindrical central cushion member 2 is an outer cushion member 3 which is composed of soit flexible material and is hollow cylindrical in form as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Then covering this member 3 is a fabric or leather covering 4 which forms the outer covering and is secured around the member 3. This member 4 is adapted to fit in and fill the groove I a in the upper side of the shoulder member I and extends the full length of the same, it being noted that its upper side is tapered as shown at 4a to provide a proper form for the cushion member positioned on the shoulder member I as shown best in Fig. l of the drawing. Supported between the crutch standards 6, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, is a hand support 'I which is preferably metal and of considerable heighth, as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing to provide a proper grip for the hand. It is provided with a round curve at its lower side and with a groove 'Ia in its upper side which is curved as shown best in Fig. 4

of the drawing. It is supported on the standard 6 by means of a hand support tie rod 8 which extends through the member 8 longitudinally and through the standard member 6 and riveted at its ends. This hand member 1 is further supported to prevent its turning between the standards 6 by means of screw bolts 9 one in each end extending through the standards 6 and extending into the opposite end of the member 1 below the tie rod 8, shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Positioned in the curved groove 1a. in the upper side of the hand support 1 is a central hand cushion member I0 which may be made of soft cushion material or may be made of cushion rubber and is slightly smaller in diameter than the thickness of the member 1. This member Ill fits snugly between the standards 6 of the clutch and is covered by means of a canvas or leather cover I l. This member Ill is supported in its relation with the member 1 by means of U- shaped fasteners I2, the one ends of which extend into the end of the member 1 while the other end extends substantially centrally in the end of the member ID, thus rigidly supporting the members l0 and Il forming the cushion in the groove in the upper side of the member 1 forming a cushion for the hand, while the member 1 forms a substantial grip for the ngers of the hand. Thus it will be noted that the cushion member including the members l and il may be removed by pressing the end inwardly so that the upper sides of the member l2 are removed from the cushion at one end. Also the cushion member formed by the members 2, 3, and 4 may be removed by springing the member 5 and permitting the Withdrawal of the portions 5a and 5b from the holes I b, or either may be readily replaced as is obvious.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention, the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cushioned crutch of the class described, the combination with the standards of a crutch, of a hand support positioned between said standards provided with a groove in its upper surface and a cushion member 'mounted in said groove and extending above the same.

2. In a cushioned crutch of the class described, the combination with the standards of a crutch, of a hand support positioned between said standards provided with a groove in its upper surface, a cushion member mounted in said groove and extending above the same, means for fastening said cushion member to the ends of said hand support.

3. In a cushioned crutch of the class described, the combination with the standards of a crutch, of a hand support positioned between said standards provided with a groove in its upper surface, a cushion member mounted in said groove and extending above the same, means for fastening said cushion member to the ends of said hand support, said cushion member composed of "a central soft cushion portion and an outer covering therefor.

4. In a cushioned crutch of the class described, the combination with the standards of a crutch, of a hand support positioned between said standards provided with a groove in its upper surface, a cushion member mounted in said groove and extending above the same, said hand support being relatively wide in its aligned position with said crutch standards to provide a relatively wide grip for the hand.

5. In a cushioned crutch of the class described, the combination with the conventional crutch standards, of a hand support positioned between said standards, said hand support being relatively wide in alignment with said crutch standards to provide a relatively wide grip portion for the hand, and doube spaced means for securing said hand support relatively to said standard to prevent twisting of said support relatively to said standards.

ROBERT H. MAN ZECK. 

